The Benefits Playbook · 2026-05-06 · 33 min
Doctors aren't "resistant to AI" because they're technophobes. They're navigating a fundamental shift in what it means to practice medicine when patients arrive having already diagnosed themselves via ChatGPT. The path forward isn't "adopt more AI tools." It's building a new operating model for clinical practice that balances ambient documentation, patient empowerment, and the irreplaceable human elements of care. In this episode, Dr. Spencer Dorn breaks down how AI is reshaping medicine: from eliminating "pajama time" for some clinicians to democratizing medical knowledge in ways that fray the profession's grand bargain with society. He explores why trust remains the currency that matters most, and what it means to be a physician when AI tools change faster than the relationships they're meant to serve. For benefits leaders and consultants, the implications are just as significant. As members increasingly turn to AI before ever engaging the healthcare system, employers have a real opportunity - and responsibility - to help them navigate that information and make better care decisions. Understanding how AI is reshaping clinical practice isn't just a healthcare story.
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